For Immediate Release,
20th September 2022
SATAWU On Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) Non-Compliance
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union is very disgusted by the Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) over its behaviour and non-compliance. We are aware that the company has not paid the salaries of our members and workers for the past 2 months (July and August), as a result, our members are on strike. As much as the strike is affecting commuters and the economy, as the union we are of the view that the employer must not be greedy and do the right thing, the employer must pay salaries of our members. What our members are fighting/protesting for is valid and what is due to them.
We are calling on the Department of Transport, Provincial MECs in the Northwest and in Gauteng to intervene. The Northwest Transport Investment (NTI) is subsidised by the government. The employer’s reasoning that they do not have money just does not make sense to us. We believe that there is money to pay our members its only unfortunate that maladministration and corruption in the entity is playing a huge role that may end up collapsing the entity.
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union has been engaging with the management to resolve the non-payment issue internally, however, the employer has been playing hide and seek in this regard. We wish to state that we have been constantly communicating with the CEO, the Business Rescue Practitioner, and the entire senior management, and the matter remains unresolved. The employer is now leaving us with no choice but to approach the labour court for intervention as well.
Over One Thousand Five hundred (1500) employees are affected (Batswana Gare Depot, Hammanskraal Depot and Watloo Depot). Our members are losing their valuable assets and their kids are being kicked out of school because their parents cannot afford to pay their fees. SATAWU, is of the view that Government must ensure that the subsidy is being utilised in the corrector manner to prevent mismanagement of the funds in the NTI.
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union wants to reassure its members and workers that it will continue fighting for them in all its sectors. We believe that Minister Mbalula, and the above mentioned MEC’s will resolve this matter before the end of the week. We will be communicating with our members in this regard in due course.
Issued By SATAWU
General Secretary Cde Jack Mazibuko :082 660 4793
Deputy General Secretary Cde Anele Kiet : 071 021 1903
Head of Communications Amanda Tshemese: 062 945 7217